Dana White's Fight to Survive Fund
Donation protected
Thank you in advance for listening to my story
Who I am: I am Dana White, a single mother of 4 kids ages: 3(Dylan), 5(Domininck), 8(Kyla) and 11(Rasheer). I'm a Army Veteran, alumni of Fairleigh Dickinson University, I'm a sister, and a daughter. I'm currently pursing my MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management. I've done my best to make sure my children have had a good life. I was forced to relocate 4 months ago to seek medical help in Philadelphia. Though I'm glad I made the move and I'm still alive to tell my story, I can not do this on my own. I was too ashamed to ask for help before but for my kids, I will do anything, even create a go fund me page. I have nothing to lose. My kids are all I have. At this point, I know I can leave this earth today or tomorrow but I pray to see another day every night I go to sleep.
This is from my heart and soul. There's no preparation going into this because I am a private person and I don't know how to prepare for unvealing and baring my soul.
As a mother. I prepare meals for my kids daily. As a soldier I would prepare for PT and the mission daily. As a student, I prepare for the next assignment by studying and reading. I have always been at least somewhat prepared, but this time, nothing could prepare me for this nightmare to say the least. I have always been a grateful person and I still am. I am grateful for many things but most of all I am grateful to still be alive...
My Background: My life changed over the years. I went from being an all-around athlete in high school in a low income, impoverished, crime infested neighborhood in New Jersey, to holding the hepthahtlon record at Fairleigh Dickinson University on a full track scolarship and making the Dean's List. I thought I was doing everything right. So I thought. I joined the Army in 2009 and later deployed to Afghanistan 2011-2012. I was given only 2 weeks to leave my Dominick who was only 6 months old at the time. I was still nursing and in full mommy and baby bonding mode but I was a soldier and a mommy too. I didn't know what else to do, except what I was trained to do. I joined the fight (War on Terrorism) with 101st in Kandahar, Afghanistan. I strapped up my boots and left my 3 kids behind. Leaving was the hardest thing I ever had to do but as a soldier you dig deep, reach for all of the courage left in your spirit, and don't show emotion. Little did I know, I would make it back home from war just to be enlisted for another battle and war...this time against a beast so violent that not even an M16 rifle could scare.
My Diagnosis: Like any other day, I was in the shower doing a self exam like doctors always advised, but this time was different. This time I felt a lump, a big lump. I was disgusted by just the thought of possibly being faced with an illness. For three weeks I ignored it. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to be faced with death. It's too early to die, I'm too young to have cancer, I'm only 34, I nursed all four of my babies! These are all of the thoughts that went threw my head at first. Damn it not me! I'm healthy...right? No. This was the ultimate invasion. This was an invasion that you can't see coming. You don't hear it, you don't see it, you don't smell it and if it weren't for the self exam, it wouldn't of been felt. Like many others, I caught it too late. Sadly, this is how my journey started and I have no clue when or how it will end. I mustered up the courage to get that lump checked out and I wish I could say it was simply a cyst that runs in my family, or just a case of lumpy boobs from being a mommy but I can't. My mammogram had taken a turn for the worst in a matter of minutes. I went for a scheduled mammogram and left out with another scheduling slip for a biopsy, because they found suspicious findings in my ultrasound. I continued to go to work and take care of home and the kids as days went by. Then, I received "THE" phone call. "Your results show cancer cells, I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you, we need to schedule you right away for another appointment," she said. Since that phone call, I have become a "professional patient." I'm constantly in an out of the hospital all the time. My diagnosis, at first , was stage II breast cancer er+/pr+. Then they found HER2 negative as well which is the very invasive type of cancer. "Two types of cancer in one breast?," I asked, I didn't even know that was possible. I was numb. I wanted to go the holistic route but I was discouraged by my doctors and care team. They advised me to get chemotherapy, radiation, reconstruction, and hormonal therapy.
December 11th 2015, on my daughters 8th birthday,
I had to undergo my first surgery. She couldn't understand why I had to have surgery on her birthday and why it couldn't wait. I assured her mommy would be back to see her blow out the candles. Both my mother and sister flew to Tennessee on separate occasions to help with my 4 kids while I underwent a double mastectomy and sentinel lymph node dissection. The results were terrifying. The biopsy from my surgery showed positive lymph nodes! I stayed up sleepless nights to google everything about my diagnosis. I went from stage II to stage III in the blink of an eye. They told me without chemo I would only live for 2 years. In that instance, I made the choice to go through with chemotherapy. My kids needed me. I'm all they have. They are all I have. There was no way I could start chemo in Tennessee becuase I was there by way of the military and didn't have a lot of support. My colleagues, battle buddies, and few friends were my angels and very supportive, but I needed my family.
Fast Forwarding to Today: I left my job, signed my kids out of the schools they loved and drove 15 hours back to New Jersey to live with my sister. The first month was disastrous. I was hospitalized and on my death bed with only 218 white blood cells left. Due to the infection, my surgeon had to conduct an emergency surgery and cut out my left breast expander. At this point, I'm happy I lived through it and glad my kids were being taken care of by my sister while I was hospitalized. God is amazing! I am a witness first hand that he is able! I have accomplished many things in my lifetime and have conquered many obstacles on my own but I'm tired of having to be strong. People have offered in the past and I gladly replied " No thank you". In all honesty, I am admitting this is a battle I can't win on my own. My mother is taking care of my sick father who has a terminal illness and my sister does all she can to help. My resources and finances are drained and I am insurable due to cancer. I am a mom first and I would like to maintain some normalcy in my kids life while I go through this horrible journey. They are going through it with me and as a parent it's hard to watch. I feel hopeless and helpless.
This is my last resort. There's not much I can do with my kids that involves crowds because my immune system is compromised but I would like to be able to go back to living normally at some point. Unfortunately, my accounts are drained after traveling and daily living expenses and bills, even my savings are gone. I still want to be able to secure my kids futures for college. I still want to be able to rebuild my life and provide a home for my kids and I have to put a roof over their heads after this is all said and done. With your donations and help, I will be able make this possible. Right now, I am trying to live long enough to conquer cancer. I put my hard work, sweat, and tears into building a good life for myself and my kids. In the blink of an eye, it's all gone.
All donations of any are helpful! If gofundme could accept pennies I would say please give me all the pennies you have. There is no amount to small or too large. donations or not, either way I'm asking you to please keep us in your prayers. This fund is not just for me. It's my dream to give my kids a better life while I am battling breast cancer, and if I pass away, I will have something to be able to leave behind for them in a trust fund. Donations are able to be made anonymously. The funds raised with the money you donate will go directly towards 12 months worth of expenses, bills, and needs for the five of us and their futures. This is for Me, Dylan, Dominick, Kyla and Rasheer, to help us all survive these very hard times and the hard times to come. I will continue to pray and keep my head up in the mean time. Thank you in advance for you contributions and if there are any other female vets out there who are either homeless, with children and/or fighting breast cancer, be brave. This is definitely a journey like no other and no one should have to go through it alone. God Bless you all.
Thank you,
Dana & My Little ones
Who I am: I am Dana White, a single mother of 4 kids ages: 3(Dylan), 5(Domininck), 8(Kyla) and 11(Rasheer). I'm a Army Veteran, alumni of Fairleigh Dickinson University, I'm a sister, and a daughter. I'm currently pursing my MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management. I've done my best to make sure my children have had a good life. I was forced to relocate 4 months ago to seek medical help in Philadelphia. Though I'm glad I made the move and I'm still alive to tell my story, I can not do this on my own. I was too ashamed to ask for help before but for my kids, I will do anything, even create a go fund me page. I have nothing to lose. My kids are all I have. At this point, I know I can leave this earth today or tomorrow but I pray to see another day every night I go to sleep.
This is from my heart and soul. There's no preparation going into this because I am a private person and I don't know how to prepare for unvealing and baring my soul.
As a mother. I prepare meals for my kids daily. As a soldier I would prepare for PT and the mission daily. As a student, I prepare for the next assignment by studying and reading. I have always been at least somewhat prepared, but this time, nothing could prepare me for this nightmare to say the least. I have always been a grateful person and I still am. I am grateful for many things but most of all I am grateful to still be alive...
My Background: My life changed over the years. I went from being an all-around athlete in high school in a low income, impoverished, crime infested neighborhood in New Jersey, to holding the hepthahtlon record at Fairleigh Dickinson University on a full track scolarship and making the Dean's List. I thought I was doing everything right. So I thought. I joined the Army in 2009 and later deployed to Afghanistan 2011-2012. I was given only 2 weeks to leave my Dominick who was only 6 months old at the time. I was still nursing and in full mommy and baby bonding mode but I was a soldier and a mommy too. I didn't know what else to do, except what I was trained to do. I joined the fight (War on Terrorism) with 101st in Kandahar, Afghanistan. I strapped up my boots and left my 3 kids behind. Leaving was the hardest thing I ever had to do but as a soldier you dig deep, reach for all of the courage left in your spirit, and don't show emotion. Little did I know, I would make it back home from war just to be enlisted for another battle and war...this time against a beast so violent that not even an M16 rifle could scare.
My Diagnosis: Like any other day, I was in the shower doing a self exam like doctors always advised, but this time was different. This time I felt a lump, a big lump. I was disgusted by just the thought of possibly being faced with an illness. For three weeks I ignored it. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to be faced with death. It's too early to die, I'm too young to have cancer, I'm only 34, I nursed all four of my babies! These are all of the thoughts that went threw my head at first. Damn it not me! I'm healthy...right? No. This was the ultimate invasion. This was an invasion that you can't see coming. You don't hear it, you don't see it, you don't smell it and if it weren't for the self exam, it wouldn't of been felt. Like many others, I caught it too late. Sadly, this is how my journey started and I have no clue when or how it will end. I mustered up the courage to get that lump checked out and I wish I could say it was simply a cyst that runs in my family, or just a case of lumpy boobs from being a mommy but I can't. My mammogram had taken a turn for the worst in a matter of minutes. I went for a scheduled mammogram and left out with another scheduling slip for a biopsy, because they found suspicious findings in my ultrasound. I continued to go to work and take care of home and the kids as days went by. Then, I received "THE" phone call. "Your results show cancer cells, I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you, we need to schedule you right away for another appointment," she said. Since that phone call, I have become a "professional patient." I'm constantly in an out of the hospital all the time. My diagnosis, at first , was stage II breast cancer er+/pr+. Then they found HER2 negative as well which is the very invasive type of cancer. "Two types of cancer in one breast?," I asked, I didn't even know that was possible. I was numb. I wanted to go the holistic route but I was discouraged by my doctors and care team. They advised me to get chemotherapy, radiation, reconstruction, and hormonal therapy.
December 11th 2015, on my daughters 8th birthday,
I had to undergo my first surgery. She couldn't understand why I had to have surgery on her birthday and why it couldn't wait. I assured her mommy would be back to see her blow out the candles. Both my mother and sister flew to Tennessee on separate occasions to help with my 4 kids while I underwent a double mastectomy and sentinel lymph node dissection. The results were terrifying. The biopsy from my surgery showed positive lymph nodes! I stayed up sleepless nights to google everything about my diagnosis. I went from stage II to stage III in the blink of an eye. They told me without chemo I would only live for 2 years. In that instance, I made the choice to go through with chemotherapy. My kids needed me. I'm all they have. They are all I have. There was no way I could start chemo in Tennessee becuase I was there by way of the military and didn't have a lot of support. My colleagues, battle buddies, and few friends were my angels and very supportive, but I needed my family.
Fast Forwarding to Today: I left my job, signed my kids out of the schools they loved and drove 15 hours back to New Jersey to live with my sister. The first month was disastrous. I was hospitalized and on my death bed with only 218 white blood cells left. Due to the infection, my surgeon had to conduct an emergency surgery and cut out my left breast expander. At this point, I'm happy I lived through it and glad my kids were being taken care of by my sister while I was hospitalized. God is amazing! I am a witness first hand that he is able! I have accomplished many things in my lifetime and have conquered many obstacles on my own but I'm tired of having to be strong. People have offered in the past and I gladly replied " No thank you". In all honesty, I am admitting this is a battle I can't win on my own. My mother is taking care of my sick father who has a terminal illness and my sister does all she can to help. My resources and finances are drained and I am insurable due to cancer. I am a mom first and I would like to maintain some normalcy in my kids life while I go through this horrible journey. They are going through it with me and as a parent it's hard to watch. I feel hopeless and helpless.
This is my last resort. There's not much I can do with my kids that involves crowds because my immune system is compromised but I would like to be able to go back to living normally at some point. Unfortunately, my accounts are drained after traveling and daily living expenses and bills, even my savings are gone. I still want to be able to secure my kids futures for college. I still want to be able to rebuild my life and provide a home for my kids and I have to put a roof over their heads after this is all said and done. With your donations and help, I will be able make this possible. Right now, I am trying to live long enough to conquer cancer. I put my hard work, sweat, and tears into building a good life for myself and my kids. In the blink of an eye, it's all gone.
All donations of any are helpful! If gofundme could accept pennies I would say please give me all the pennies you have. There is no amount to small or too large. donations or not, either way I'm asking you to please keep us in your prayers. This fund is not just for me. It's my dream to give my kids a better life while I am battling breast cancer, and if I pass away, I will have something to be able to leave behind for them in a trust fund. Donations are able to be made anonymously. The funds raised with the money you donate will go directly towards 12 months worth of expenses, bills, and needs for the five of us and their futures. This is for Me, Dylan, Dominick, Kyla and Rasheer, to help us all survive these very hard times and the hard times to come. I will continue to pray and keep my head up in the mean time. Thank you in advance for you contributions and if there are any other female vets out there who are either homeless, with children and/or fighting breast cancer, be brave. This is definitely a journey like no other and no one should have to go through it alone. God Bless you all.
Thank you,
Dana & My Little ones
Organizer
Dana White
Organizer
Clarksville, TN